


Perfection

by Book_Mage



Series: Shift [1]
Category: unOrdinary (Webcomic)
Genre: John-centric, Role Reversal, hoo boy this was a monster to write, i have a lot of Feelings about this webtoon, john-sera roleswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26488642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_Mage/pseuds/Book_Mage
Summary: Ever since he gained his powers, John was told by everyone he'd become King. After all, with a power as strong as his, the user couldn't be anything but perfect. He would rise above the others, and take the throne.Stuck within the rigid mindset of needing to be the best, John finds himself growing increasingly isolated from others in his attempts to perfect himself.That is, until a powerless girl transfers in midway through second-year.
Relationships: John Doe & Seraphina (unOrdinary)
Series: Shift [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928347
Comments: 10
Kudos: 40





	Perfection

Airplane rides were excruciatingly long when you were anxious.

John idly played some cheap mobile game on his phone, eyes darting to the clock on the corner of the screen. Still another couple hours before he would be back at Wellston. If his math was correct, he’d arrive back before Sera returned from school. He only hoped she was okay.

His phone chimed as he completed a level, a notification appearing on screen.

_You got Rank B: Average!_

John shut off his phone. He leaned back on the cheap airplane chair, staring up at the ceiling.

_For the longest time, I wasn’t allowed to be anything but perfect._

* * *

_“You were born lucky John.”_

_“With your ability, you can easily usurp the throne and become King.”_

_“You’ll be the one everyone looks up to.”_

From the moment he gained his ability, all John ever heard about from his peers and teachers was how he was going to rise above the others. He’d become a powerful King and live a successful life.

But with power came fear. John could see that people were terrified of him. The thought that someone else could copy your ability, amplify it, and then destroy you with it scared his peers, and as a result, they walked on eggshells around him. Only when they thought he wasn’t listening did they criticize him. No matter how hard John tried to be perfect, there was always something bad to say about him.

_“Did you hear about how he only got a B on the last test?”_

_“He never speaks at all, unless he’s yelling at someone! He’s so weird!.”_

_“Did you see how he beat up those kids at Turf Wars? He’s such a loose cannon.”_

_I became so caught up in trying to fulfill other’s wishes, that I lost sight of who I was. I grew obsessed with being perfect, needing to do everything by myself._

_I even pushed away the one person who believed in me..._

* * *

“John, do you want to-”

“I don’t have time, Dad,” John said bluntly, eyes glued to his computer screen. “I need to finish this assignment.”

“It’s alright to take a break now and then, John,” William said, leaning against John’s doorframe. “While I admire your work ethic, you’re always working.”

“I need to get a perfect grade,” John replied.

When William finally spoke, pain laced his voice. “John, you know that no matter what grade you get, I’ll always be proud of you, right?”

“I know, I know,” John said, having heard the same spiel dozens of times before. “Maybe some other time. Not right now.”

* * *

_Dad tried his best to reach out to me. He had no powers of his own, but he always remained kind despite all the hardships life gave him. All I did was add to that._

* * *

“I want to apply to Wellston.”

William looked up from his work, staring at John. “You sure? It’s halfway across the country, and notoriously hard to get into.”

“They have the best Turf Wars team, and it’s one of the highest-ranked schools in the country,” John said. “My teachers told me I should attend there.”

“John, you don’t have to follow the expectations of others,” William said. “Your ability doesn’t define you.”

“This isn’t about my ability,” John said. “I want to become stronger. I want to win.”

“John-“

“I want to attend Wellston! Why can’t you just accept that!” John snapped.

William shrank back slightly, and John realized he had been shouting. Sensing the undercurrent of fear running through the room, John realized one important thing.

Even his own father was afraid of him.

John applied to Wellston later that week.

* * *

John ended up getting into Wellston and moved to live there soon after. He met his roommate, Blyke, and finally got to see Wellston’s Royals in action.

There was the King Arlo, and the Queen Cecile. From what John could discern from stories floating around campus, Arlo’s ability was to create barriers, and was ranked God Tier. 

“John’s so powerful…”

“With such an amazing ability, he’s bound to become King.”

“He’s better. Why waste that much talent?”

Recalling all what teachers and students had told him in the past, John steeled himself. He’d become King and prove that he was worthy of his ability. He’d be perfect.

* * *

“How pathetic.”

Arlo’s voice was low, and he shrunk the size of his barrier again. John was left curled on the ground, barely able to move within the confines of the barrier. He was barely conscious, cuts peppering his body.

“Another freshman thinking they can dethrone me,” Arlo muttered. “Rei warned me about this.”

John shifted his body, sending a hateful glare to Arlo. Arlo didn’t budge. Finally, the golden barrier flickered away, and Arlo shoved his hands into the pockets of his blazer, walking off. John stumbled to his feet, cradling his broken arm.

_I’ll show him…_

* * *

John threw himself into training. He had to get stronger. He had to be better. He was careless last time, jumping into things far too quickly. This time, he would go in with a reasoned plan, and destroy Arlo.

Soon, he could copy three abilities instead of two, then four instead of three. Everything outside of schoolwork and training became a meaningless buzz, distractions from everything important.

Who cared if he didn’t speak to anyone? Who cared if he didn’t have any time for anything else anymore?

All he had to do was become King, and then he would be on top.

When the time finally came, this time it was Arlo who was pressed against the ground, John digging his foot into the former King’s skull. John’s eyes glowed, a black barrier separating them from the rest of the world.

“Well, well, well,” he said. “It looks like I’ve dethroned you.”

* * *

And then he was King.

Shock had taken Wellston at first; while it was generally known that John was a high tier, no one had truly figured out the extent of his strength. Cecile made no comment on the matter. Neither of them spoke to each other much.

Arlo dropped to Jack. Though John initially had his worries about how Arlo would react, Arlo took it relatively well, and John quickly learned that so long as everyone was in their proper place in the hierarchy, Arlo wouldn’t complain.

However, even as King, the criticisms that had plagued John all his life hadn’t stopped. They grew even more ferocious, fueled because John was now on top.

* * *

“John’s a terrible King.”

John froze in his tracks, hearing those words. Around the corner, two students gossiped, talking about the rumours they had heard that day.

The voice continued. “Sure, he’s strong, but have you seen his grades? I heard he only got a ninety on the last test.”

“What good is a King if all he can do is brute-force people?” the other agreed. “John’s going to run Wellston to the ground.”

John walked around the corner. The two students immediately quieted, scurrying off before John could get any words in edge wise. John’s fists clenched.

_Even on top, I can’t catch a break._

John opened the door to his dorm, slamming it behind him. The walls shook. John sat on his bed, opening his bag and dumping out the pile of textbooks and his laptop.

Opening his laptop, John saw a message from his father flit across the screen. John skimmed the message, not really paying any attention to it. Something about a book, and how school was... He didn’t really care. Not when he needed to study.

He pulled out his textbooks, opening them and beginning to read.

On the next quiz, he got a perfect grade.

* * *

As months passed, John built up his reputation in the school. He pushed himself even harder in school, becoming one of the top students, with perfect grades on almost every assignment and test.

Turf Wars was easy enough. No one could stand up to him with his ability to copy and amplify other’s powers. Arlo and Cecile never even needed to step onto the field, not when John could easily destroy all the members.

Still, whispers and rumours persisted.

_“Did you hear about how he only got an A- on the last test?”_

_“I heard that Cecile had to step in at Turf Wars last week to help him.”_

_“Why does he always slick his hair back like that? It looks terrible.”_

John bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. 

_I did it. I’m perfect. I’m King._

_But why aren’t I happy?_

* * *

“I know it’s late in the year everyone, but we have a new student joining us!”

John looked up from his notes, annoyed at being interrupted from his work. In the front was the teacher, and next to her was a tall girl, with short magenta hair and extensions. She crossed her arms over her chest. From what John could sense, she did have an aura, but it felt... off. He couldn't put his finger on it.

“My name is Seraphina,” said the girl monotonously, as if she had practiced it dozens of times. “It’s nice to meet all of you. I hope we can get along.”

After a couple more introductions, Seraphina took a seat by the windows, pulling out her schoolwork. John paid no mind to her until the end of the class, when Elaine came skipping up to her.

“Welcome to Wellston!” she greeted. “I’m Elaine! How’s your first day so far?”

“Just fine,” Seraphina said flatly, shoving her books into her bag.

“Wonderful!” Elaine said. “Where did you attend before this?”

“I was homeschooled,” Seraphina answered. “I tried something new this year.”

“Woah, really?” Elaine said. “We’ve never had one of those before!”

Everything was going as normal, and John was about to zone out of the conversation when Elaine said the question.

“So Seraphina,” she said. “What kind of ability do you have?”

The classroom fell silent, awaiting Seraphina’s answer. How powerful you were, determined your role in the hierarchy, and how others treated you. Every single eye was on the new student.

“I don’t have one,” Seraphina said curtly. “I cannot see how that matters in an academic-based school like this.”

Elaine’s expression soured instantly, her lips curling. “What did you just say?”

“I don’t have an ability,” Seraphina said, bored. “Now, if you excu-“

“I can’t believe this!” Elaine said, backing away from her.

“What’s the issue?” Seraphina said. “If you base everything on power-“

“Get away from me!” Elaine said. She wiped her hands on her skirt. “Gross! I can’t believe I spent all that time talking to someone like you!”

The classroom dissolved into agreeing murmurs, and John returned his attention to his schoolwork.

_Odd... I could’ve sworn I felt something in her._

* * *

For the next few days, John puzzled over the anomaly that was Seraphina. He was sure that he had sensed her aura, muted as it was, so why didn’t she have an ability? As much as he hated to admit it these days, maybe he was wrong. Maybe there was another new student or something that he had sensed. It was a weak explanation, but he shunted it off to the recesses of his mind, not wanting to think of it any further. In the meantime it was lunch, and John had heard rumours of the triple chocolate being served. To his immense disappointment, by the time he got there, every slice was already gone.

_Dammit! Twice in a row now! It’s been ages since I’ve had that cake!_

“Excuse me.”

Seraphina brushed past him, plate of cake in hand. She looked remarkably pleased of herself, and anger flared in John. He stopped her, and Seraphina looked up.

“Give me that cake,” John said, holding out his hand.

Seraphina glared at him. “I heard you’re the King, right? Let me make this clear- I don’t care what rank you are. I got this cake fair and square, so back off.”

A crowd was forming around them, people wanting to observe the showdown between the King and the school cripple. John sent a sideways glance to the crowd. In the distance, he could see Isen and Blyke brawling over a slice of cake, abilities activated.

_Perfect._

Copying Isen’s ability, John focused on Seraphina, eyes glowing.

“I said, give me that cake,” John said.

Seraphina didn’t budge. She stared at him, her arm slowly raising. John held out his hand, waiting. At the last moment, Seraphina swung the plate upwards, smashing the cake into John’s face.

“Oops.” she said dully.

John stood there, fists clenched as the cafeteria dissolved in murmurs, some horrified, other’s mocking.

“Holy shit, did she just smash that into his face?”

“He just got outsmarted by the cripple!”

“Is he going to let her get away with that?”

John’s vision grew blurry, anger building up in him. Through his tunneled vision, all he could see was Seraphina’s smirking face.

“He lost to a cripple? But he’s the King!”

“Oh, he doesn’t look happy!”

“What’s he gonna do now?”

John clenched his teeth. Using Isen’s ability, he locked onto Seraphina. In a moment of rage, dove forwards, swinging his leg into her gut. Seraphina was sent flying dozens of meters back into the stone wall with a loud crack. Every person within a twenty foot radius of John backed up as she stomped towards the slumped Seraphina. Blood dripped down her forehead.

John knelt down in front of her, grabbing her tie. He punched her repeatedly, everything growing blurry. Through the madness, he could hear himself screaming.

“WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? HOW DARE YOU! I WORK SO HARD EVERY DAY, AND YOU THINK YOU CAN WALTZ IN HERE AND HUMILIATE ME LIKE THIS WITH THAT **SMUG LITTLE LOOK ON YOUR FACE!?”**

He continued to punch her over, and over, his hands balled into fists.

“YOU WALK AROUND LIKE OWN THE PLACE WHEN YOU’RE NOTHING BUT SCUM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LADDER! YOU ACT LIKE YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!”

John raised his fist to punch again, only to find it shaking. Around him, he could see the horrified expressions of the rest of his classmates. When they saw he was looking at them, they averted their gaze. Whispers filled the air.

“He’s completely snapped!”

“Jeez... Our King is crazy.”

“Maybe if we look away, he won’t beat us up.”

John lowered his head, his entire body quivering. One hand was still clenched around Seraphina’s shirt, which was now stained with blood.

_It’s not fair! Why can she go around doing whatever she wants at the bottom, when I can’t do the same? Why do I always have to be a good example? Why can’t I ever mess up?_

He hiccuped, eyes growing hot as tears dripped down on his face. He let go of Seraphina’s shirt, covering his face.

_Why can’t I ever be anything but perfect?_

* * *

John sat in class, staring down at his notebook. His eyes still felt itchy from crying, and he was sure that rumours about what happened were already flying around the school.

_Dammit... I put so much into improving my reputation, only for it to go down the drain because of her. Speaking of which..._

John cast a glance at Seraphina’s seat, which was empty. She hadn’t shown up when the bell rang over a half hour ago.

The teacher explained the contents of their next project, which would be a pair assignment. Inwardly, John prayed he’d be with someone decent. Right as the teacher was explaining the intricacies, the door swung open, revealing Seraphina. Bandages wrapped around her forehead and cheeks, and John could see the beginnings of bruising underneath them.

Seraphina walked up to the stunned teacher, handing her a note. “My apologies for being late. I was at the infirmary for some injuries.”

“I... can see that,” said the teacher. “Just take your seat. I’m about to assign partners.”

Seraphina nodded, walking down the aisle. As she brushed past John, she shot him a casual look. John glared back.

“As I was saying, you’ll be pairing up and analyzing three books in total. For each book, you and your partner will present your findings to the class. I will base your final grade on the presentations.”

The teacher recited pairs of names, and John waited expectantly for his name to be called. As long as it wasn’t with her, he’d be-

“John and Seraphina.”

John slammed his head into the desk.

_You’ve gotta be kidding me..._

Seraphina shuffled over to his desk. John took a small amount of satisfaction in that she looked as unhappy as he felt.

“So, we’re doing Hamlot first,” Seraphina said. “We can split the work up and neve-“

“Nope,” John said. “I’ll be doing all the work myself.”

“What!?” Seraphina said.

“Put it simply- I don’t trust you,” John growled.

“That’s rich coming from you,” Seraphina said. “What’re you going to do if I don’t comply- beat me up again? Doc was pissed as hell when I came in like that after lunch. I don’t think you want to incur his wrath if I end up in the infirmary in a state like that again.”

“There are plenty of other ways I can make your life hell,” John said.

“Believe me, with the way you guys treat lower tiers, this school is already hell incarnate,” Seraphina said. “I’m-“

“I’m doing everything,” John said, sweeping up his books. “Bye.”

* * *

John didn’t see much of Seraphina for the rest of the week, instead pouring all of his time into the project. Speareshake’s writing style was incredibly infuriating to decipher, and John resorted to searching up a couple translations online to help him. On the day of the presentation, he walked into class with a handful of cue cards, ready to go.

He stopped at Seraphina’s desk, dumping half of them in her lap. “I made notes for the both of us. Follow them, and we’ll get a decent grade.”

Seraphina raised an eyebrow, looking at the notes, then back at John. John glared at her, wondering if she was going to challenge him. Instead, Seraphina looked through the notes, not a single emotion flitting across her face. John relaxed every-so-slightly. Maybe all of this was going to go well.

Once they were called up, John did the beginning. It went mostly well, though he was sure he probably missed a plot point or two. When it was Seraphina’s turn, things started off well. She was using the note cards. Then things started going off the rails.

In a flat voice, Seraphina continued, “Then, Hamlot meets these three witches, who tell him about how spooky shit is about to go down. Then he meets this chick, Julietta, as this gigantic ball, and they fall in love despite being from feuding families and-“

_Wait a minute! That didn’t happen. None of that happened! What’s she doing?!_

Seraphina met his panicked gaze and grinned widely at him, continuing to recite a bunch of made up facts.

_She’s- she’s doing this on purpose! That little-_

* * *

_C+. We got a C+._

John’s hands shook as he looked down at the grading slip. He crunched the paper in his fist. Across the room, Seraphina chuckled to herself when she saw their grade. Oh, he was so going to beat her up later. When he got her hands on her-

John abruptly got to his feet, swiftly walking towards the door.

“John? Where are you going?”

“Library.” he growled.

When he reached the library, he dumped all of his textbooks out, reading through them. Somehow, he’d figure out a way to pull up their grade. If they got two A+ in a row, they could probably still average it out to something remotely decent. He’d handle Seraphina, whether it be beating her up or-

“Hey.”

Speak of the devil...

John looked up, not bothering to keep the venom out of his voice as he spoke. “You.”

Seraphina looked far less pleased with herself that she did before, arms crossed tightly around her chest. “I flubbed that first assessment on purpose to mess with you.”

“Really?” John said sarcastically. “I had no idea.”

“However,” Seraphina added, sitting down. “I’ll have you know that I have one of the highest averages in this course. If we work together, I’m sure we can-“

John got up from his seat, slamming Seraphina against the wall. “Yeah, I don’t trust you after that little stunt you pulled last time. We’ll be using all of my notes, unless you want to be sent to the infirmary ever single day.”

“I will not be leeching off of you,” Seraphina said, affronted. “You’re the one who started this after the whole cake incident. Let bygones be bygones, and we can work together. Do you really want to be putting that much pressure on yourself? Or do you just want to put the image of a perfect King?”

John pressed on her throat harder. “That’s none of your damn business.”

“Fine then,” Seraphina said. “Two can play at this game. If you don’t let me work with you, I’ll pull the same trick I did last time, and we can both fail.”

“I’ll make your life complete hell if you do that,” John threatened. “You think your life here sucks now? I’ll make it dozens of times worse.”

“Try me,” Seraphina said. “I’m a cripple. I already get sent to the infirmary daily.”

“Why do you fight so hard?” John said, frustrated. “It’d be so much easier if you just did things my way.”

“I’d be miserable if I did it your way,” Seraphina replied, “When I came to Wellston, I told myself that I would put my all into doing what I wanted, not be told by others what to do. Being a cripple is just the icing on the cake.”

John grit his teeth, finally loosening his grip on her. “... Fine. But if you pull anything, you better watch out.”

* * *

True to Seraphina’s words, she pulled her weight on the assignment. Almost every single time John entered the library, Seraphina was sitting at his table, working on the project. They worked in tense silence, not a word being spoken between them, unless to make sure that the other knew what they were doing.

When presentation day came, Seraphina walked in with her own set of notes. When the time came to present, she was the exact opposite of what she was last time they had presented. Posture straight and perfectly composed, Seraphina spoke with a confident voice, never trailing off topic or rambling. John was almost jealous of how well she did. The whole classroom applauded at the end.

Then their grades came back.

A+. 

John looked at the paper, pleasantly surprised. He glanced off to the other side of the classroom where Seraphina was looking at her grades. Shooting a glance at John, she smiled.

_Huh... Maybe she isn’t completely terrible._

* * *

Days passed, and both Seraphina and John worked on their assignment. Other courses were piling on schoolwork, and John was running out stamina to deal with it. He resigned himself to many sleepless nights and mugs of coffee until the period was over.

While working on their assignment, John noticed Seraphina gazing at him. “What?”

“You look like pure hell,” Seraphina said. “We’re taking a break.”

“What? No, I’ve got work to do,” John said, taking a sip of his now-lukewarm coffee. “I want to end up with an A+ on this assignment.”

“You’re going to run yourself into the ground at this rate,” Seraphina argued. “You practically live in this library.”

“Is there a problem with that?” John argued. “I work hard to get decent grades.”

“Maybe you do,” Seraphina said, reaching over and yanking the book out of his hands. “But you look like you’re dead at the moment. Just break with me now and then, then we can get back to work.”

“... Fine.”

* * *

“...”

John stared at their final grade. It was an A, which was alright, but not perfect. Seraphina walked over to his desk, a soft smile on her face.

“Our grade was pretty good,” Seraphina said. “We make a decent team.”

“Not strong enough to pull up our grade from the first round,” John grumbled. “We only got an A- as our final grade.”

“It’s still an A,” Seraphina said. “I think it calls for a celebration. There’s a place that sells boba tea near my house. Why don’t we get some?”

“I’ll pass,” John replied. “I need to study for a math test tomorrow.”

“Come on,” Seraphina said. “It’s not like you need to spend all night studying.”

_Actually, I kind of do..._

“I won’t be able to make it,” John said. “Sorry.”

Seraphina tilted her head. “Very well. Being your partner has been... an experience. Once one gets past your infuriating personality, you aren’t half bad.”

She turned on her heel, leaving the classroom. John watched her go. Afterwards, he swept his books into his bag, intending on heading to the library to study some more. On his way there, a group of loud voices distracted him. He took a peek across the corner. His eyes widened upon seeing Seraphina, bruised and against the wall, two girls standing in front of her. John recognized them as two mid-tier sophomores, Misa and Brea.

“Who the hell do you think you are, butting into our conversation like that?!” Brea said.

“I asked you to stop your incessant gossiping,” Seraphina said. “I don’t appreciate it when you badmouth people about something as trivial as imperfect grades.”

“As a cripple, who are you to tell us what to do? Misa said. “We can talk about whoever we want, especially if it’s relating to Royals!”

She raised a finger, her voice growing condescending. “For someone who’s supposed to be our King, John messes up an awful lot! He’s an embarrassment to Wellston! And he expects us to see him as our King?”

John clenched his fists. Anger coursed through him at Misa’s cruel words. All of this was proof of how he needed to work harder and do better. He was about to turn around and head to the library via another route when Seraphina’s cool voice cut through the air.

“If you two spent half as much time studying as you do gossiping about others, perhaps your grades would be more like John’s,” Seraphina said. “You can scorn him, but he works far harder than you two ever will. He’s what? Second year? Being a King at that age is practically unheard o-“

“Oh, just shut up already!” Misa snarled, kicking her into a wall. “All you do is ramble on and on like you know everything! News flash cripple! No one cares about what you think! Your nothing but a waste of space in this school!”

Seraphina didn’t reply, and John found himself frozen in place. For once, he was at a loss for what to do. Should he step in? Walk away and pretend it never happened? No, he couldn't do that. Seraphina had defended him, and he at least deserved to return to the favour. Locking onto Misa’s signature, John copied it. Repulsion, huh? He could make that work.

Swinging around the corner, John activated his ability, smashing Misa’s head into the wall. Brea shrieked, realizing who had walked in on their conversation. Without a care for the wellbeing of her friend, she hurried off before John could get to her too.

John dropped Misa to the ground, where she held a hand to her bleeding forehead. She glared up at her attacker, only to pale upon seeing who it was. A couple beads of sweat rolled down her face.

“J-John!” she stuttered. “How n-nice to see you!”

“Why are you attacking Seraphina?” John said. “I could’ve sworn they prohibited assault at this school.”

“I’m sorry!” Misa said, all previous traces of bravado gone. “I didn’t mean to! It was an accident!”

“How was it an accident?” John said, tilting his head. “Accidentally beat up and belittled someone? Accidentally gossiped about a Royal? Accidentally got caught?”

“It was a joke!” Misa said. “Brea and I were just playing a prank, and it went wrong!”

She bowed down before him on all fours, groveling at his feet. “I take it all back! I’m sorry!”

“Get out of here,” John growled.

“Yes! Right away!” Misa said, running off in the same direction Brea went.

John shook his head, turning back to Seraphina. She had gotten to her feet and was trying and failing to scrub at the blood stains peppering her shirt and jacket. John walked up to her.

“I’ll take you up on that offer for boba tea.” he said.

A small smile quirked onto Seraphina’s face. “Sounds good. We’ll just have to make a small pit stop by the infirmary first.”

It was funny. Despite being powerless, Seraphina was the first one to not expect perfection from me. Even though I didn’t get perfect on that assignment, I ended up celebrating.

_Seraphina... she really was something._

* * *

“Do you usually sit here during lunch?”

John looked at Seraphina, who was sitting in an empty hallway, cafeteria tray balanced on her lap. She raised an eyebrow.

“No, I just thought the floor looked comfy,” she deadpanned.

“I was just trying to be nice!” John protested.

“The cafeteria is far too crowded for my taste,” Seraphina said. She quietly added. “Besides, it’s not like anyone would let the school cripple sit next to them.”

John stared at her for a couple seconds, before shaking his head. “Alright. You’re coming with me.”

He led the confused Seraphina up a couple flights of stairs, before flinging open the doors to the rooftop. It was free of people, and a light breeze rustled through the air.  
Seraphina let out a low whistle.

“Nice place,” she said. “Too bad it’s locked off to Royals.”

“Well, you’re with me, so no one can say anything,” John said, closing the door behind him.

“Why did you invite me up here?” Seraphina said. “As King, I’d imagine you’d have plenty of other people to hang out with.”

John didn’t reply.

“Oh. You don’t, do you?”

“I don’t have a lot of time for people as King, okay?” John snapped. “I have a lot of things to keep up with!”

“Sounds like a lot of work,” Seraphina quipped. “No offense, but being King sounds miserable.”

“It’s not that bad!” John protested. “I get to fight in Turf Wars, which I like.”

“That’s only one facet of it,” Seraphina said. “Doesn’t it get boring as well though? From what I’ve heard, you can mop the entire team all by yourself, without even needing Arlo or Remi. Come on, there’s got to be something else.”

“I... I wanted to be King for another reason,” John said, hesitating. “It’s none of your business.”

“Oh, how long will it take for me to unlock your level ten tragic backstory?” Seraphina snorted.

“Shut up. I can kick you off this rooftop.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

* * *

John sat in the library, scribbling away at his English report. Though it was as slow-going as always, it’d be done soon. Across from him, there was a loud creak as someone pulled out a chair and sat on it. John spared a glance upward.

“Seraphina. How nice to see you here.”

“Are you still working on that English assessment?” Seraphina said. “Weren’t you working on it during lunch as well?”

“It’s a lot of work, okay?” John said. “Stop distracting me.”

“Too late,” Seraphina said. “I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. Why do you run yourself down like this? You already get impressive grades.”

“I need to put in all this effort for a reason,” John grunted. “I’m a terrible student otherwise.”

“Really?” Seraphina said.

“Really,” John muttered. “It’s only because of hours of studying I’m good. If I skip out, my grades will drop.”

“So you overwork yourself instead,” Seraphina said. “Because you think it’s better than having everyone talk behind your back about what a terrible student you are.”

“Exactly,” John grunted. “Get one imperfect grade and everyone’s on my case.”

“Why try so hard to be perfect then?” Seraphina said. “It sounds like people are going to talk either way. Only difference is that you’re far more stressed out.”

“So you’re saying I should ditch all my schoolwork,” John said bluntly.

“I didn’t say that,” Seraphina corrected. “You don’t have to completely drop the reins, only slacken them. Once you do that, you’ll be in a much more pleasurable mood.”

“Hilarious,” John muttered.

Seraphina’s words stuck with him. That night, in his dormitory, when he should’ve been studying again, John sat in front of his computer, playing video games. The next time he got a test back, it was a B+. By the time lunch came around, people were already whispering about how he failed to even get an A.

Yet somehow, John didn’t particularly care at all.

* * *

“This is some damn good boba,” John muttered, taking a sip of his drink. “How I never knew this place existed before you showed it to me, Sera, I don’t understand.”

“Glad you enjoy this place so much,” Sera said. “I just passed by it while walking back to my house one day.”

“House?” John said. “You don’t live on campus?”

“No,” Sera said. “I convinced Headmaster Vaughn to let me stay at my place. It used to be my sisters, but she had to move places for a job.”

“You and your sister seem close.” John noted.

“She... helped me through a rough patch in my life,” Sera said. “I’ll always be grateful for that. No matter what happened, she stayed with me.”

Her eyes grew distant. John awkwardly looked down at his drink. While it remained unspoken between them, John had gleaned that Sera didn’t have the best relationship with her parents. He supposed that was one of the few things both of them had in common.

“You live in the dorms though, right?” Sera finally said. “I presume you have a roommate?”

“Yeah, this guy named Blyke,” John said. “I think Arlo wants him to be his replacement as Jack when he graduates. Well, either him or Remi.”

“Blyke,” Sera muttered. “His name sounds familiar.”

“Red hair?” John said. “He can shoot lasers? Is often with Remi and Isen?”

“Right, him,” Sera said. “I know him. He and Isen were fighting for the last slice of triple chocolate cake again last week, weren’t they?”

“They were,” John confirmed. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “That reminds me...”

Sera looked at him expectantly, and John continued. “I’m sorry for... You know, beating you up that one time in the cafeteria. I took that a bit too far.”

“A bit?” Sera said.

“Way too far.” John amended.

“Don’t worry about it,” Sera said. “What’s happened has happened, and there’s no way to change it.”

She snickered. “Besides, the look on your face when I smashed my cake into it was well worth it.”

* * *

“Have you heard? John’s been hanging out with that Seraphina girl lately.”

“What? The cripple? That’s ludicrous.”

“There’s no way the King is hanging out with someone like **her**.”

John glared at the group of gossiping students, and all of them immediately quieted. John returned to his dormitory, ready to burn off some stress by playing video games when he had an idea.

He knocked on Blyke’s door, peeking his head in. “Uh... Hey... Do you want to play video games or something?”

Blyke stared at him.

_I knew this was a bad idea._

“Sure…?” Blyke finally said, confused.

And that was how they found themselves sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, playing video games together. John shot a furtive glance across the table at Blyke.

“Why are you staring at me?” Blyke said. “You’re starting to freak me out.”

“Blyke, what do you think of me?” John said. “Be honest. I won’t do anything.”

“I don’t know, your kind of unapproachable,” Blyke said after a moment. “You act stern, but it feels like you could fly off the handle at any moment. Especially after that incident in the cafeteria with the cripple.”

Jeez, he’s really being blunt.

“You aren’t half bad though,” Blyke said. “You could be far worse.”

John didn’t know what to say.

* * *

Long after Blyke had left to turn in for the night, John sat on his bed, thinking.

_As King, I have to remain composed, get perfect grades, and be a role model. I convinced myself that to be happy; I had to be on top._

_But…_

John looked down at his hands.

_I’m not happy like this. I’ve never been happy like this._

_I want to be selfish for once._

* * *

John walked into the school, a strange sense of calm washing over him. For once, he felt perfectly relaxed. He entered a meeting room, where both Arlo and Cecile were already gathered, waiting for him.

“Why did you call us here, John?” Cecile said.

“Kind of,” John said. “I’m resigning as King.”

There was nothing but silence for a couple moments before Arlo exploded.

“What the hell!” he shouted. “You’re resigning!?”

“I don’t want to be King anymore,” John said. “You can be King again, Arlo, and both you and Remi can choose a new Jack to take the empty slot.”

“John, what brought this on?” Cecile asked. “What made you want to resign?”

“Being King turned me into something I didn’t like,” John said. “Besides Arlo, you never approved of me, anyway. Shouldn’t you be happy that I’m quitting?”

“You’re the strongest student in school,” Arlo said tersely. “You should be at the top of the hierarchy, Wellston’s Ace.”

“I can still be Ace, but I don’t want to be King anymore,” John said. “You can’t force me to be King.”

Arlo looked ready to spit a reply, but John merely smiled. “That’s all. Thanks for meeting me here.”

He turned on his heel, leaving the room. John practically skipped through the hallways, giddy with happiness. Now free from the constraints of being King, it felt as if it had lifted a great weight off of his shoulders.

_I don’t need to be perfect._

_Not anymore._

* * *

“Sera!”

John ran down the hallways, greeting his best friend. Sera looked at him, her brow scrunched.

“What the hell did you do to your hair?” she said.

John ran his fingers through his messy brown hair, cheeks pinking. “Does it look bad? I decided not to gel it for once, and-“

“No, it looks fine,” Sera interrupted. “Just different.”

* * *

Months passed by quickly.

While John’s grades dropped from excellent to merely average, he didn’t particularly care.

Blyke grew distant after he became Jack. He and John still played video games from time to time, but he started spending more time with Isen and the new Queen, Remi, who dethroned Cecile soon after John left.

John avoided Arlo for a solid month. Their limited interactions were less than amicable. Arlo seemed frustrated that John rejected his ‘true role in the hierarchy’ by refusing to remain King. John had no desire to return to that role.

Other things remained the same.

John’s mouse hovered over the image of his dad, wondering if he should call him. Biting his lip, John checked when the last he called him was. His eyes widened.

_Six months!?!_

Guilt rose in him. He’d lost track of time during the last few months, but he had no idea it had been that long. Come to think of it, John barely remembered his last conversation with him. His father had been the one person to believe in him before Sera, and John had pushed him away.

There was a tap on the door. “John? Are you ready to go yet?”

John quickly snapped his laptop shut, resolving to think of it later. “Coming Sera! Just give me a second!”

_Thank you, Sera..._

_You convinced me I didn’t have to be perfect all the time._

* * *

“Did you really have to slap the guy’s hand away? Seems a bit harsh, Sera.”

Sera sighed. “I already know what my power level was, and I don’t like it when people touch me. Besides, we were only there for the prize. Speaking of which...”

She cast a glance towards the teddy bear stuffed in John’s shopping bag. “What’re you going to name him?”

“I was thinking ‘Arlo’ would suit him,” John said. “It has the same pissed-off look Arlo gives me every time I talk to him.”

Sera chuckled.

Together, they walked down the darkened streets, discussing random topics when John sensed another presence. He shot a casual glance behind him, but no one was there.

_Maybe I was imagining something?_

The aura grew stronger, coming closer to them. John tried his best to act casual, but Sera noticed his stilted movements and raised an eyebrow. As they crossed a corner, John made his movement. He grabbed a shirt he had bought earlier that day, and swiftly turned, throwing the shirt in front of him. It draped over an invisible figure.

_I knew it! They’re invisible._

Sera leapt forward, swinging her leg. Still cloaked by the t-shirt, the invisible figure was sent crashing to the ground. For good measure, Sera stomped on them, before nodding at John.

“Let’s go!” she shouted.

In no position to argue, John listened to her, making a break for her house. John’s ability was on full alert the whole time, ready to sense the person following them. Thankfully, nothing more happened.

Once they made it back to Sera’s home, John finally let go of a breath he was holding. Upon Sera’s insistence, he agreed to stay the night, already making a couple arrangements. John took a seat on her sofa, about to put his feet up when he noticed a book on the table. His blood froze as he read the front.

Unordinary

W. H. Doe

John grabbed the book, reading the title again, wondering if he had somehow missed something. No, it was his father’s novel. A quick look on the inside proved it was by the same publisher. Cold guilt settled in his stomach.

He vaguely remembered the public outcry on the book at the time of release. The contents of it supposedly prompted high tiers into becoming vigilantes. Those vigilantes often ended up getting killed, most of the time by either accidents or the organization EMBER. John recalled hearing about the news, but he never looked too deep into it, due to him being so focused on schoolwork and Turf Wars.

“Oh oops, I forgot to put that away.”

Sera leaned over the couch, peering over John’s shoulder.

“How did you get a copy of this?” John demanded. “Isn’t it banned?”

Sera raised both of her arms. “It was a gift from my sister. She gave it to me before they banned it.”

“Oh,” John deflated. “Sorry. It’s just... My dad wrote this.”

“No way, really?” Sera snorted. She read the front cover. “W. H. Doe... No way! Is he really your dad!?”

“Yeah...” John said, looking at his feet. “His full name is William Henry Doe.”

“Interesting,” Sera said. “You must’ve read Unordinary then. How do you feel about it?”

“Actually...” John said, hesitating. “I’ve actually never read it. I haven’t spoken to my dad in a while.”

“Ah,” Sera replied. “Troubled relationship?”

“No, it’s not that,” John said. “I just... did some things I’m not proud of. I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Sera looked like she wanted to press the matter further, but decided against it. She shook her head. “Well, if you really want to, you can take it with you to your dorm. It’d be nice to have another opinion about it.”

“Really?” John said.

“Really,” Sera confirmed. “Now pack it before I change my mind.”

* * *

Once he was back in the dorms the next day (after a slight argument with Sera), John sat on his bed, holding Unordinary, but too afraid to open it.  
John knew it was silly. It was just a book written by his father. But somehow, it felt like proof of his failures back when he thought he had to do everything perfectly. It reminded him of how he’d pushed his father away for the sake of perfection and maintaining the image he believed a King should have.

Taking a deep breath, John opened the book, flipping to the first page.

_Dedicated to my son._

John’s chest tightened.

He continued to read, enraptured by the tale. It was about a man who lived in a world of cripples, being the sole person with any otherworldly powers. Instead of using it for personal gain, the man used it to help others, protecting them from danger. He brought peace to the world, at the ultimate cost of his own life. While the story was absurd, John could read between the lines, and see exactly what his father was implying.

Those gifted with incredible powers, those at the top of the hierarchy, could use their strength to help others. When he finished the last page, John’s eyes stung. Flipping the book shut, John set it on his bed. He sat in his room, thinking.

There was a knock on the door, and John got to his feet, expecting to see Blyke in the doorway. Instead, Arlo was there.

“John! It’s good to-“

“No.” John said, slamming the door.

Through the door, he could hear Arlo’s exasperated voice. “John, we were challenged to a Turf War, and it’s starting six hours from now. We’re down a member, and I need you to-“

“There’s no reason for you to need a King,” John said. “You can handle it just fine, and Blyke can be Jack.”

“It’s not that,” Arlo said. “Remi’s away for a family matter, and Blyke’s sick. Cecile’s standing in for Remi, but we’ll need a fourth member. If everything goes well, you won’t even need to fight.”

“... Fine.”

* * *

John stepped onto the field, already regretting his decision to join the others. The ride there had been dead silent, the air tense.

On the other side of the field, there were four other teens, all of them ready to fight. The King got to his feet, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

“Look who finally showed up,” he drawled. “Wellston.”

“Broven,” Arlo said amicably. “It’s been a while. How’ve you been?”

“Cut the shit, Arlo,” Broven said. “You’re the one who challenged us! At least have the decency to show up on time!”

John’s eyes narrowed, and he shot a glance at Arlo. Arlo grinned.

_He lied._

“My bad,” Arlo said.

“What’re you planning?” Broven said, walking up to him. “Wellston has no need to instigate a Turf War.”

“I heard there was a new Queen,” Arlo said. “Rumour has it you’ve been undefeated since she joined. I wanted to see her in action. One-on-one.”

Broven didn’t argue with that, instead looking at their roster. Upon seeing John, he raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you changed something as well. Who’s the Jack?”

Arlo laughed. “Oh, Broven. That’s not our Jack. That’s our King.”

Broven stared at John, his eyes widening as he registered who it was. His other three teammates shuffled nervously at his reaction. Elaine stepped forward.

“Let’s just begin. Send out the first fighters.”

Arlo smiled. “Cecile, you’re up. I’m sure you won’t disappoint.”

“Don’t patronize me,” Cecile snapped. “Don’t forget that at the moment, I outrank you, Jack.”

She stepped up the field where Agwin’s challenger, Gou, waited. Cecile crossed her arms, waiting for the fight to begin.

“And... START!”

Immediately, Gou surged forward, eyes glowing bright turquoise. Cecile jumped back, green ropes forming around her. The ropes lashed out towards Gou, who dodged them by leaping into the air. Using the altitude to his advantage, Gou dove, fists ready to bash Cecile’s skull.

Cecile held out a hand, and ropes wrapped around Gou’s wrists, restraining him. Then, she used her ropes to propel herself backwards, out of any harm’s way. Sharp spears of energy shot out, wrapping around Gou’s body. Gou struggled to break free, and Cecile stepped towards him, generating more ropes, ones with sharpened tips.

Gou grunted, swinging his one free leg, kicking rubble created from his previous attack towards Cecile. Before he had a chance to strike, Cecile easily shattered them with her pointed ropes. One final rope wrapped around his ankles, sending him falling to the ground. Cecile stepped on him, ropes poised to attack.

“Stop. He’s down for the count,” Broven said. “It’s our loss.”

The ropes dissipated, though red welts were left on Gou’s exposed skin. He rubbed them. “I, uh...”

“It’s fine, Gou,” Broven said. “Come get healed.”

Rein stepped up. “I’ll fight next. Queen versus Queen seems fitting.”

“A-alright! Following the previous fight is Wellston’s Queen Cecile versus Agwin’s Queen Rein! Begin!”

John noted that Cecile seemed to hesitate at first, not knowing if she should make the first move. After Rein didn’t move, Cecile then jumped into action, creating several pointed ropes and sending them flying towards Rein. Two black appendages burst out of Rein’s back, easily stopping the ropes in her path. John raised an eyebrow, and Elaine gasped.

Undeterred, Cecile shot out another two ropes, dodging blows from the appendages. She clapped her hands, a rope binding the two appendages together. She grinned cockily, jumping forward to restrain Rein with her ropes. To John’s surprise, two more appendages burst out of Rein’s back, swinging at Cecile. While Cecile dodged the first, the second swiped at her stomach, ripping her shirt and leaving a jagged cut.

Cecile pressed a hand to her stomach, a couple droplets of blood leaking between her fingertips. She continued to dodge attacks, attempting to tie Rein’s appendages together. However, with Rein knowing exactly what she was intending, Rein kept her attacks swift, even growing a fifth and sixth appendage. As a result, the battle became overwhelmingly one-sided, with Cecile getting tossed around like a rag doll.

John opened his mouth to call off the attack, but Arlo placed a hand on his arm. “Don’t you want to see what Agwin’s Queen is fully capable of? Cecile’ll survive.”

John gave him a hard look, then turned back to the conflict. “Enough! There’s no point in continuing. The win is yours. Elaine, heal Cecile.”

Rein stopped, and Cecile stumbled to her feet, body covered in cuts. She stumbled past Arlo and John, giving both of them dour looks. Elaine ran towards her, hands ready, glowing green.

_Arlo... I leave for one semester, and you turn everything upside down. Had I known it would turn out like this, maybe I would’ve stayed King._

John stepped forward, ready to fight. Arlo held out an arm, stopping him.

“No, John,” he said. “I can deal with this. I said you wouldn’t have to fight, correct?”

Arlo stepped up to Rein. Rein tensed, her eight appendages preparing to attack. When they swung towards Arlo, he merely smiled, and a golden barrier formed, the appendages bouncing off harmlessly. Rein continued her barrage of attacks, but none could penetrate the barrier Arlo had created. Cuts tore open across Rein’s skin.

“So that’s your weakness,” Arlo said, walking towards her. “Interesting.”

“D-don’t come any closer!” Rein yelled, sending her appendages flying.

As always, a golden barrier sprung up, protecting Arlo. It expanded until it formed a dome, trapping Rein within. Realizing her mistake, Rein tried to break free, but it was too late. Arlo stepped into the barrier.

“I heard so many good things about you,” Arlo said. “But you’re really nothing out of the ordinary, are you?”

Rein growled, raising a hand to slap him. Arlo easily dodged the strike, grabbing her arms and wrapping a hand around her throat, cutting off her oxygen supply. Rein began to choke.

“Tch...” Broven muttered. “Stop the fight! We’ve lost this one!”

Arlo didn’t listen.

“What the hell are you playing at!?” Broven shouted. “I called her out! Let her go!”

Arlo still didn’t let her go, and John finally stepped in. He walked towards the carnage, eyes glowing.

“Arlo!” John roared. “That’s enough! Stop it!”

Arlo glanced at him, then turned back to Rein. His grip around her neck tightened, and Rein gasped for air, hands clawing at her throat.

_So that’s how we’re playing this game? Fine._

Teeth clenched, John picked up on Rein’s ability, copying it. Eight appendages burst out of his back, and he leapt towards Arlo, sending all of them bashing through his barrier. It cracked, and Arlo spat out a mouthful of blood. Behind them, Gou took a step back.

“Holy shit...” he said. “How does he also have Arachnid as an ability?”

“It’s copying,” Broven muttered. “I remember now. Wellston’s former King could copy abilities.”

John’s appendages continued to smash at the barrier until nothing but shards remained. Arlo finally loosened his grip on Rein, who fell to the ground, gasping for air. Agwin’s healer sprinted up, immediately beginning to heal her. John glared at Arlo.

“You-!” Arlo yelled. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, attacking your own teammate!?”

“Agwin forfeited, but you continued to fight!” John countered. “I’m not going to stand for that!”

Arlo was about to spit a reply when Broven stepped up, Rein’s arm looped over his shoulder.

“Well, that’s embarrassing,” Broven said. “I’ve never seen a team fight itself before.”

John turned his attention to Broven, appendages poised to attack. “The Turf War is still on. You can either forfeit or fight me as your next opponent.”

Broven gulped, jaw clenching. “... Fine. You win.”

* * *

The ride home had been incredibly tense. Elaine and Arlo whispered the whole time, Elaine healing all of Arlo’s wounds. Cecile made a point not to speak to any of them, instead choosing to scroll through her phone. John glared at Arlo the entire time.

When reaching his dorms, John realized that he’d accidentally left his door ajar, with UnOrdinary in full view on his bed.

Oops.

Blyke was supposed to be sick anyway. What were the chances of him seeing it? John headed over to his roommate’s door, knocking.

“Come in!” said Blyke.

John opened the door, seeing a very-healthy Blyke sitting on his bed, playing video games.

“Arlo said you were sick?” John said.

“O-oh,” Blyke said, a drop of sweat rolling down his face. “It was just a stomach bug. I’m feeling better now.”

_He’s lying. Was all of this a ploy to get me to go to Turf Wars?_

“That’s good,” John intoned. “I hope you’re feeling better. You missed one hell of a Turf Wars.”

There- a flash of guilt across his features. Arlo had definitely put him up to this. John stared at him, shutting the door.

* * *

“How did Turf Wars go?” Sera asked, taking a bite of her lunch. They were both sitting on the rooftop, lunch trays in hand. “I heard you ended up beating up Arlo.”

“It went something like that,” John sighed. “He tricked me into going, then ended up brutalizing Agwin’s Queen. I had to step in when he wouldn’t stop.”

“Sounds barbaric,” Sera said. “Did you at least get a few punches in?”

“I shattered his barrier.”

“Nice,” Sera said, nodding. “Anyway, how was UnOrdinary?”

“It was good,” John said. He began to sweat. “I don’t think I’ll be able to return it though...”

“You left your door open again, didn’t you?” Sera sighed. “Blyke saw it, reported it to Arlo, and you’re now probably an hour away from getting expelled.”

“I’m sorry, okay!” John said. “I accidentally forgot to lock my door again. I trust Blyke anyway, I doubt he would-“

“He would if Arlo made him,” Sera quipped. “You’ve always been careless. I warned you, and now you’re going to get in some pretty deep trouble.”

“Okay, I messed up!” John said. “I’ll take the fall, okay? I’ll tell them I got the book from my father or something! It won’t get traced back to you, I swear!”

“It better not,” Sera muttered. “What about you though? There’s going to be a lie detector there.”

“I’ll be getting in trouble either way,” John said. “I’ll spin a couple half-truths and take whatever punishment there is. I’m Wellston’s Ace anyway. What can they do to me?”

“Classism at it’s finest,” Sera muttered. “What did you think of the book?”

John looked down at his lunch tray. “Part of me wondered what sort of craziness was going through my Dad’s head when he wrote it.”

“Really?” Sera said. “Alright then, I’m leaving.”

“I mean that he must’ve known he was going to stir the pot!” John said, holding up his hands. “It gave me a unique perspective on how lower tiers are treated. I’m not the most well-versed in that subject, so I was wondering how you thought of it.”

“I... I liked how the hero was powerful, yet remained altruistic,” Sera said. “Even though he had all this power at his fingertips, he never used it to propel himself further in life. He knew that everyone had valuable something to offer, and he could help those who needed a voice.”

She looked out into the distance. “I think the final take-away was that no matter how weak someone was, they had ideas that should be heard. Society shouldn’t repress those weaker. Instead, they should be protected, and be allowed to express their own opinions without fear of push back.”

“If I had powers as strong as the main character, I’d join those who would work to make the world better.”

John looked at her, eyes softening. “Sera, I’m sorry for getting caught. I know how much that meant to you.”

“It’s fine,” Sera said, waving a hand. “I’ve pretty much memorized forwards to back by now. Maybe it’s best if I look for some other pieces of literature to read.”

* * *

Sure enough, judgement fell a couple days later.

“John Doe, please come to the office.”

John calmly got to his feet and exited the classroom. Upon slamming open the door to Vaughn’s office, he saw Blyke sitting in one of the chairs,  
squirming. Upon seeing John, he quickly averted his gaze.

“I’m going to assume Arlo put you up to this because of what happened during Turf Wars,” John said tersely. “I’ll let it slide this time, but if I find you going through my things again, I will kick your ass.”

“Got it,” Blyke said weakly.

Shaking his head, John entered Vaughn’s office, where a lie detector waited.

“There you are John,” Vaughn said kindly. “Please sit, and we can clear up this little misunderstanding.”

John sat down. “Headmaster, why am I here?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing too big of importance,” Vaughn said kindly. He gestured to the woman beside him. “This is Miss Nadia, a lie detector. She’s on here on behalf of the authorities. She’s just going to ask you a set of questions. You’ll be out of here in no time. Miss Nadia, if we could begin?”

“This is an official interrogation,” Nadia said. “I can detect any false response you provide, and immediate expulsion will occur if you’re caught. Understood, Mister John?”

“Got it.” John said.

“Let’s begin then,” Nadia said, eyes glowing gold. “We were informed that you had ownership of the book ‘Unordinary’. Is this true?”

“Yes.” John answered.

“How long have you had it?”

“About twelve days.”

“Where did you get this book from?”

John tensed, hands balling into fists. 

_I can’t get Sera caught. I might get off easily because I’m an Ace, but she won’t be as lucky. Nadia is likely either lie-detecting or mind-reading. I don’t think she knows what I’m thinking, so..._

“Answer the question,” Nadia said sharply.

“My father is the author of the book,” John finally said. “William Henry Doe? I’m John Doe.”

Nadia’s eyes widened. “I see. Unordinary was published two years ago, was it not? Why are you just reading it now?”

“I... I have a troubled relationship with my father,” John said. “We haven’t spoken in a long time.”

“If you haven’t spoken in a while, how did you gain ownership of the book?”

_Shit. Is this woman serious?_

“Nadia,” Vaughn said. “While John’s relationship with his father is distant, they are still father and son. John could easily come in contact with William’s publisher. Please ask questions relevant to the topic at hand.”

“Right. Terribly sorry, Headmaster Vaughn,” Nadia said. “Where is the book now?”

“I destroyed it,” John said. While it felt guilty to do, John had burned it to ashes. 

“Did you read it first?”

“Yes.”

“Did you share the contents of the books with anyone while you had it?”

“No.”

“Last question,” Nadia finished. “What were your thoughts on the contents of Unordinary?”

John hesitated. How was he going to get around this one? He recalled his conversation with Seraphina, and an idea sprung to mind.

“I wondered what kind of insanity was running through my Dad’s head when he was writing it,” John said.

Nadia didn’t reply, her eyes still glowing. Slowly, her eyes dimmed, and she smiled at it. “That’s a relief. If you could step out for the moment, I’d like to have a few words with the Headmaster.”

John nodded, exiting the office. After a couple minutes, Nadia exited, and John re-entered Vaughn’s office.

“John, I don’t think you understand how lucky you are,” Vaughn said. “That could’ve gone very differently.”

“I know,” John said. “I already disposed of the book. You’ll never have to hear a word of Unordinary again.”

“I do hope that is the case,” Vaughn said. He paused for a second. “John, what were your true thoughts on Unordinary?”

“I have no intention of becoming a superhero, if that’s what you’re worried about,” John said. “I just found the concept of the book interesting.”

“I see,” Vaughn replied. “However, actions will have to be taken. You’ll be suspended from school for a month, and be sent back to live with your father, who will be informed of what’s happened. Your suspension will begin next Monday.”

“... I see.” John said. “I suppose I should go plan.”

* * *

John stood outside the school, sending a quick text to Sera. Slung around his shoulder was a black duffle bag, packed full of things he’d need.

“John? What happened?” Sera said, exiting the gates.

“Blyke ratted me out,” John said. “I have to stay home for a month. My flight leaves in a couple hours.”

“Really?” Sera muttered. “I expected it, but still. Underhanded move on Blyke’s part, even if Arlo told him to do it. Do you really have to stay home for a few months?”

“The situation is a lot worse than we thought,” John said. “The authorities are scared, with all the high-tiers getting killed lately. They want to make sure I’ve been cleansed of Unordinary’s ideas.”

“Then why are the sending you back to your dad?” Sera quipped. “Seems counter-intuitive.”

“I don’t really have anywhere else to go,” John said. “Knowing them, they’ll probably be on his case about it.”

He scratched his head. “On the bright side, I made sure that this is going to get tied back to you. I tricked the lie detector into thinking I got it from my dad. It was difficult, but Headmaster Vaughn covered for me.”

“John, stop talking about it like it was nothing,” Sera said. “I don’t care that you covered for me. What happened if they had found you out? You could’ve been expelled. Not even being an Ace would save you. It would’ve been much easier for me to take the fall.”

“Sera, don’t worry about it,” John said. “It’s over now. Both us got through it mostly unscathed. Once I come back in a month, this’ll all be long behind us.”

Sera looked ready to continue arguing, but John placed a hand on her shoulder. “Sera, just stay as safe as you can, okay? I’ll be sure to text often.”

“Got it,” Sera said. “See you in a month.”

There was a honk, and John whipped around, nearly hitting Sera with his bag. “Oh! I almost forgot about the taxi. I text you when I make back home.”

He gave her a wave goodbye, and Sera returned the gesture. John climbed into the taxi, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Standing outside the front door of his home, John found himself unable to work up of the courage to ring the doorbell. The last time he and his father had spoken was over a year ago, and even then, the conversation was tense and short. Did his father even know the reason he was suspended was because of Unordinary?

Steeling his nerves, John reached for the doorbell, pressing down on the button. After around a minute, the door opened, revealing William. Things were silent for a long time.

“... The blue streaks are new,” William finally said.

John’s hand jerked up, running through his hair. “Oh, uh, yeah. I got them a couple months ago. I lost a bet.”

“Why don’t you come in?” William said. “You must be tired after the long plane ride.”

John relaxed. “Yeah. I am.”

* * *

“Sera, what happened to you!?” John gasped. “I’ve only been gone for less than a day!”

Sera shrugged. Splotches of purple and blue covered her right eye, and a deep cut ran across her opposite cheek.

“Stone boy wanted some revenge for his defenestration a couple weeks ago,” Sera said. “I was caught off guard. Don’t worry, John. Doc gave me some healing tonic already. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

John wasn’t convinced. “Sera, I-“

“Just let it go already!” Sera snapped. She softened, expression growing guilty. “Sorry. I’ve been through worse. Let’s not muddy our good moods. I found this new game online. How about we play that instead?”

“... Okay.”

It turned out the game was yet another one themed around pigs, this time being that you needed to built shelters to protect them from falling projectiles. Like always, Sera excelled at clearing the levels, while John had more trouble. Much to Sera’s amusement, he’d tried to see if he could get through all the levels using only wood. John thought it only added to the fun.

He was in the middle of relaying a joke to Sera when there was a knock on his door. Smile fading, John turned back to Sera. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

John shut his laptop, turning to the door. “Come in.”

William opened the door. “Are you all settled?”

“Yeah,” John said. He gave his father a weak smile, trying to make conversation. “Feels like nothing’s changed since I was here last.”

Awkward silence filled the room.

“So John, why did you get suspended?” William said cautiously. “I got a notice from the school, but they didn’t give a reason.”

“I was caught reading a banned book,” John said. He added. “Unordinary? You might’ve heard of it.”

“Oh.” William coughed. “How did you get your hands on a copy?”

“My friend lent me hers,” John said. He frowned. “I ended up having to dispose of it, which was a shame.”

“What did you think of it?” William said.

“I liked it,” John said. “I had trouble understanding some parts, but I think it was a good read overall. I don’t understand why the authorities wanted it banned.”

William relaxed. “I see.”

“I regret not reading it when it first came out, before it was banned,” John mumbled. “I regret a lot of things from that time.”

“John…”

“I was so swept up in being perfect, I never realized that I didn’t need to be perfect,” John rambled. “I’m sorry for never replying to your messages. At first it was because I didn’t have time, but then I was just ashamed of myself for being such a massive jerk and-“

William swept him up into a hug, holding him tightly in his arms. John tensed a first, only to relax, burying his face into William’s shirt.

“I’m sorry,” John mumbled wetly. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” William said. “I should’ve tried harder to get through to you.”

“I wouldn’t have listened,” John muttered. “I was convinced that I needed to be that way. Just… Thank you for never giving up on me.”

They remained embraced like that for a long time. When they finally parted, William ruffled his hair, a smile on his face.

“So,” he said. “How does a game of Poker sound?”

John laughed.

* * *

As days passed, John and William fell into a routine. Coffee in the mornings, when both of them were shambling after late nights spent working.

Then, William headed off to work, and John spent the day either working on homework, or playing video games. Mostly playing video games, but John wasn’t going to admit that.

When Sera eventually got back from school, she’d call him. To John’s worry, she logged in everyday covered in cuts and bruises, refusing to speak about how she had gotten them. At one point, she stopped texting due her phone getting shattered. Once again, she infuriatingly refused to admit what had happened.

“Don’t worry about me,” she said dully. “I’ll be fine.”

Contrary to popular belief, John wasn’t oblivious. He knew that students were taking their chances to beat up Sera now that there was nothing in their way to stop them. Well, apart from Sera’s own impressive fighting skills, that John admittedly admired.

But things just got worse.

* * *

John stared at Sera’s image on his messaging site. The little light beside it was grey, signaling that she wasn’t online.

_She hasn't been online in a week... What happened to her?_

“What’s worrying you?”

John looked up, seeing William nursing a mug of coffee. “It’s Sera. She hasn’t been online in a while, and I’m beginning to worry about her.”

“Are you sure she isn’t just swept up by schoolwork?” William said. “You’ve been busy with that these days.”

“That’s because I’m not very good at it,” John muttered. “Sera’s different. I think... I think it’s because I’m not there.”

“Really.”

John bit his lip. “Even when I was around, Sera landed in the infirmary almost every day. I’d try my best to help when I was around, but even then I couldn’t catch every situation. Sera and I only really had each other there.”

“Hm,” William said, taking a sip of coffee. “Sera has a home outside of school, right?”

“Yes,” John nodded.

“Theoretically, what if I accidentally sent you back early, and you had to stay somewhere else in that time being?” William said. “Maybe keep someone company?”

“That wouldn’t be that bad,” John agreed. “I could accidentally be sent on a plane back home anytime now.”

“I have my wallet by my computer,” William said, inching towards his room. “It’d be a shame if I ordered a ticket a week earlier than I was supposed to.”

“It would be a shame.” John agreed.

Winking, William slid into his room. John shut his laptop, preparing to pack his bag.

_I’m coming Sera._

* * *

“Well, I’ll be taking my leave,” John said. “I’ll be sure to message you now and then.”

“You better,” William said. “If not, I might make an impromptu visit to Wellston.”

“Please don’t,” John replied, shuddering. “I’ll be fine.”

“You seem to have done a decent job handling things, save for your suspension,” William said, reaching into his bag. “I’ve got something to give you.”

He held out a familiar book. “Lucky for you, I had an extra copy of Unordinary lying around. Try not to get caught with this one?”

“Duly noted,” John said, taking it from him. He paused, not knowing what to say. “... Thanks for putting up with me, Dad.”

“I didn’t put up with you,” William said. “On the contrary, I enjoyed spending time with you these last three weeks. Though I had my doubts, it seems that Wellston was good for you.”

“It was mostly because of Sera that I changed,” John admitted. “Wellston was only a factor. I should have you two meet sometime. I think she’d be interested in meeting the author behind Unordinary.”

“I’d be interested in meeting someone who had such a profound effect on my son,” William said. He swept John into a hug. “Just stay safe, okay? EMBER’s been prowling around that area lately.”

“I’ll be fine,” John said.

He shouldered his duffel bag, giving William a cocky grin. “Besides, I’m Wellston’s Ace. What’s the worst that could happen?”

* * *

John jolted awake, his head bouncing against the airplane seat. They were descending, touching down at the airport.

_I’m back…_

_I just hope things are still alright..._

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I think we all know what's happening on Sera's end...
> 
> Hope you guys liked this one-shot! I love roleswap au's a lot, and I find them fun to read and write. 
> 
> I apologize if there were some janky bits here and there. I tend to write things out of order, and I usually don't have a plan for things like these, and combined with a bit of writers block, it becomes a chore to write certain sections. The beginning in particular was what I was struggling with more, while the middle was written relatively early on. You can probably tell which areas where I was forcing because I was ready to finish this lmao.
> 
> But anyways, on a more positive note, I like how this turned out! I like it when roleswaps keep certain parts of the story the same, with the characters just in swapped positions, so William remains the author of Unordinary while Leilah would be working for NXGEN. And while William's still a positive influence, Sera's parents are... yeah.
> 
> I'm intending on maybe writing more for this AU, namely Sera's part, up until we hit ~Ch.60 in the webcomic, where that story and this one would converge. We'll see though.
> 
> Until next time!
> 
> \- Book Mage


End file.
